Vending or dispensing machine for cylindrical containers



Feb. 1 7, 1953 v F. A. OSSANNA, JR 2,628,875

VENDING 0R DISPENSING MACHINE FOR CYLINDRICAL CONTAINERS Filed Sept. 14, 1949 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. FRED A.OSSANNA JR.

ATTORNEYS Feb. 17, 1953 ss JR 2,628,875

VENDING 0R DISPENSING MACHINE FOR CYLINDRICAL CONTAINERS Filed'Sept. 14, 1949 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTORQ FRED A.OSSANNA JR.

ATTORNEYS Q 7 LI- Feb. 17, 1953 v F. A. OSSANNA, JR 2,

VENDING OR DISPENSING MACHINE FOR CYLINDRICAL CONTAINERS Filed Sept. 14, 1949 s Sheet-Sheet s INVENTOR. FRED A. OSSANNA JR.

ATTORNEYS Patented Feb. 17, 1953 ED STATES PATENT O F FiI CI2;

N EN'DING: R aDIS'PENSING itI ACHINE :FOR ,GYLINDRICAL CONTAINERS "Fred A. Ossanna, J r., Austin, Tex.

Application'Sentember 14, 1949, Scrial No. 115;756

l '4 Claims.

This i-invention -.relates :to automatic vending machinesiand particularly-to a machine. for storing (at large chum-her of cylindrical product-containers such as cans and fondispensingsuch cont ainers v one at a time, through the-controlflof an instantaneous release mechanism.

invention {has for its general-object, the provision .of assimple andeefficient vendingwmachine for scans and other cylindrical productcontainers which will store and providerfacilities for intermittent flow of alarge numbert of 'filled containers r in V aiminimum amountof space "and will, subject ta finger control preferably in con-- nection with alcoinicontrolmechanism,fdischarge saiducontainers one .atta'time through the me- Idium of .an instantaneously actuated release mechanism incorporated into the structure and closely cooperatin withthe controltandiflow of containers "through the machine.

It is a further objectlto provide in a can vendin'g'"machine, a multiple rampand delivery chute Structure wherem filled cylindrical containers varying materially in size; may'b'e stored an'd'disipensed'one' at a *tima'with'provision for "supportiingand'guiding the progressive travelliof. the containersifor'rolling; dropping and subsequentro'lli'ng ac'ti'on'through" a gravity principle alone and wherein throughout the entire system, the retarding effects of friction havabeenminimized by my novel iandefficientconstruction.

,Another object istheprovision in'a vending or *dispensing machine forcylindrical containers-of a multiplicity of container *storage 'ramps "inclined "slightly from the horizontal and'delivering to a downwardly extending delivery chute "very compa'ctly related therewith, all in combination wan eombined--gateand ramp extension mechanism which-is related to the storage rack, discharge chute and release mechanism to prevent mutualinterferencebetween the inclined rows of stored containers and those in the delivery 'chute an'd which operates independently for each ramp and' 'is-dependent for opening operation upon' relief er 7 the weight of a all containers 1 in" the-above ramp and which further, has the combined 'functio n's ofretaining containers in one "ram and "normally 'acting as a portion of the guides for-the "delivery chute and also acting as an extension forthe rails ofthe container ramp :above.

- Astill furtherobjectis the provision of simple,

"compact and efficient, instantaneously operated, *release mechanism cooperatively associated with "the storage and flow system of my machine to discharge anddispense one container at'a'time "and i to 'control the intermittent progressive flow of containers inrthe machine as well: as"to"check and locirfiow during the vending or discharge operationtof all containers with'theexceptiomof the iorwardmost container being discharged.

vAnother object is the provision of a gravity actuated vending machine and "system or the .class described, capable ofihigh "capacity forstorage, but so constructed :that "the weight'p'ressure magnetically "operated "can-release mechanism;

Fig. '2 isa front'elevation of the'lowertpdrtion of my vendingmachine with the casingremoved; Fig. 3is a' detailvperspective view; snowing-one section "of the ramp rails removed, having my eff cient :gate mechanism applied thereto, the dotted lines indicating the container-retainin "position of the gate mechanism;

Fig. 4 isa fragmentary sideelevationon a somewhat largerscaleshow-ing the forward portion of the "vend =area or the-storage rack -with pressure-relieving -jog "therein and illustrating the structure of my release mechanism;

i Fig. 5 is a fragmentary; horizontal -cross s'ecti0n Fig. 6 is a fragmentary side elevation-showing a somewhat different embo'diment of my inven- 'tion with the-casing removed; 40'

Fig. 7 is --a fragmentary --sid'e*elevation one somewhat larger scale, -Sh0Wir-1g the solenoid- "operated release mechanism of' said second em- "bod'iment and V Fig; 8 is a fragmentary; horizontal cross section takonon-tholineB-Q of Fig; 6 and-*showihe the *vertically offset relation of the gate arms 6f -suc'cessive ramps which permit ot-independent, non-interfering= operation of the gate construction. 7

Referring now to the embodiment cifl'iny inventio'n shown iii-Figs. -1 to- 5 1 inclusive, "an" unstanding, relatively talL-loox-like frame is provided comprising as shown; elongated, rear anii f forward rigid metal corner posts ill and -l I respectively, interconnected and reinforeed -at top 3 and bottom by relatively short transverse beams 12 and [3 respectively. The frame is further reinforced, as will hereafter appear, by transverse interconnection of rail-supported rods and release mechanism-supporting plate.

Within said unitary frame is mounted my storage rack structure, delivery chute, bottom delivery ramp and electro-magnetically operated release mechanism.

It will be understood that while I have illustrated one unit capable of handling filled cylinder containers varying somewhat in length and diameter, in commercial machines ordinarily a plurality of said units will be utilized in compact, side by side relation, each employing all the mechanism illustrated here and housed within a unit, causing and preferably being adapted to store and vend in each unit, a different product.

A multiplicity of container-storing ramps are supported in my frame inclined slightly from the horizontal from the rear of the machine to the front at preferably an angle approximating eight degrees from the horizontal.

ing side of the machine to points several inches short of the rear of the machine and short of the rear longitudinal edges of the elongated corner bar posts H. They are supported as shown, in pairs by horizontal rail-supporting rods [5 which are bolted at their ends to the forward corner posts It] and to elongated vertical frame bars 16 disposed at the respective sides of the frame and secured thereto intermediately of the corner bar posts. The extremities of rail support rods l5 are threaded to receive nuts I5a and spacer sleeves are utilized upon the rods to space the rails M the requisite distance apart and to further space the rails in proper relation with the sides of the .frame. To this end, longer intermediate spacer sleeves I! are telescoped over the rods l5 and interposed between the two rails of a pair, while shorter spacer sleeves Ha are interposed between the sides of the frame and the longer rail extension arms I841 of a novel gate mechanism which comprises an important part of my invention.

Gate mechanism comprising a pair of rigidly interconnected L-shaped gate arms I8 is pro- -,vided for each of the ramps with the exception .of the top ramp and the bottom delivery ramp of my structure. The gate arms I8 spaced apart and rigidly interconnected by a pair of trans- .verse rigid rods [9 interconnecting the longer and upper sections thereof are fulcrumed 'adjacent their inner extremities upon the rearwardly disposed rod I5 and said rod as clearly shown in Figs. 1 and 3, is disposed inwardly a few inches from the rear extremities of the rails I4. The length of the sections lBa of the gate .arms is such that said arm in normal down-- ward position, are disposed in continuation and .fiush against the rails M for a distance of several inches, support for said arms being made by the inner, transverse, interconnecting rod 19 abutting and being received in a recess or shoulders I la formed in the rear ends and upper edge (of the rails M. The L-shaped gate arms have integrally formed therewith, the normally depending can-retaining legs or sections lBb which are angled approximately at degrees relative to sections I811 to complement the angulation of rails l4 and to dispose sections [8?) in substantially vertical position cumulatively for the several ramps constituting a substantially vertical guide at one side of the channel or delivery chute.

Gate members IB and the entire gate structure is urged upwardly into open and non-obstructing position by torsion springs 20 having one or more convolutions encircling an intermediate spacer sleeve l1 and each having an arm 20a affixed and abutting the appropriate rail [4 and a second radial arm 20b underlying one of the tie rods IQ of the associated gate mechanism. The torsional springs 20 are tensioned and of sufiicient power to instantly raise the gate mechanism to the full line position shown in Fig. 3 when the weight of all filled cans or containers formerly resting thereon has been removed. The weight of a single container resting upon the longer arms or sections lila of the gate mechanism, which arms constitute rail extensions, is adequate to retain the gate mechanism in the closed position indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 3 with the depending section l8b obstruct-flow of containers rearwardly in the ramp below.

It is important to note (see Fig. 8) that the L-shaped arms I 3 of the alternate gate mechanisms from top to bottom, are disposed in vertically offset, non-interfering relation with the vertical planes of the adjacent gate mechanism arms. This of course, can be easily accomplished by alternately varying the spaced relation of the arms I8 of the successive pairs, from top to bottom.

For each ramp formed by a pair of the rails l4 and the associated rail extension and gate mechanism comprising arms I8, rigid end guide strips 2| are provided secured to the front and rear corner bar posts If) and II and extending in parallel relation with the inclined rails I 4 and disposed in end positions substantially diametrically of the cans or other filled containers stored in the racks.

A downwardly extending, preferably vertical delivery chute common to all of the ramps defined by the several sets of rails l4 and gate mechanisms 18, is formed at the rear of the machine as shown, defined at its rear side by a pair of spaced, vertical rails 22 appropriately secured at their ends and intermediate portions to suitable members of the rigid frame and spaced vrearwardly of the rearward edges of sections [8b wardly delivering ramp is formed in communication with the bottom of the chute, comprising as shown, a pair of forwardly declined spaced, parallel rails 23 secured at their rear ends to the vertical rails 22 of the delivery chute and extending to an intermediate position in the width of the frame. The ramp further includes a pair of parallel, forwardly declined retaining rails 24 p0 sit-roiledparallelrand above 'the rails 23 for proventing upward displacement of the cylindrical containers in theintermittent flow. and delivery thereof.

Said lowermost orvending area'ramp includes a downwardly, jogged portion comprising short rail 2 t inclinedwith respect to the vertical and parallel spacedrails 2 6 lie insubstantial alignment withthe rails Z-3=and-'-2-4 and forming a jog passagecommunicating at its forward end with a forwardly declinedpassage defined by two sets of rails E l -and 28 respectively, which extend to the'forward 'sideof't-he machinefor delivery of cylindrical, filled containers, one at 'a time, subject to control of my solenoid-operated release mechanism. I

Err-commercial use of my in-vention,---a plurality 'of -suchunits disposed in compact, side by side relation, -"are usually housed in an ornamental casing C enclosing the entire structure at sides, -to-p, rearand front. The front of the machine is-provided with a-removable closure panel P having conventional type of interflttingand looking mechanism for securing the same to the frame. Thispanel must be removed for loading of the various ramps of the rack and if made in a continuous sheet, has asuitable aperture or recess-with can-receiving means for facilitating the discharge-of one cylindrical container at a time from the front of my machine.

The bottom ramp having the downwardly jogged, vending area delivers the containers progressively from the vertical deliverychute and because of the jog and abutment relation of one or-more containers with the nearly vertical edges of tracks" 25,relieves the entire system when fully oripartially loaded of the greater portionof the weight pressure, thereby preventingiinterference .orbunching up of container :in the intermittent :flow. Relief of this pressure is necessary for efficient and orderly operation of my machine landrfor :cooperative control of the discharge through a relatively small and compact release -mechanism.

:Myreleasemechariism, as illustrated in Figs. 1 -:to fie-comprises "a dualfunction dog disposed intermediately between the vend area upper guard -rails28 and fulcrumed'on-a horizontal pivot shaft which may be suitably supported from the lower qportionsofthe forwardbar post IU of the frame. .ZIhedog mechanism as shown, comprisesfa pair ..-.of rigidlyxinterconnected spaced arms {3d ful- .;crumed.on theshaft 29-and .having forwardly rand downwardly curved and somewhat hook shaped container-retaining.portions 30a for engagement as shown in'Figs' 1 and 4 with the for- .wardportion of the. endmost container and'havring alsoirear abutment extremities 30b for en gagement with the next to the forwardmost container during swinging of the dog structure for release of the forwardmo'st container. The dotted "'linesinFigJl show the moved position of the dog 'meichanism"3ll wherein the end container is re- !;leased"for discharge and the next successiv one is engaged and'locked" by the abutment endiitb to retain .all containers in the lowermost ramp, delivery chute andiracks, in stationary position, until the dog mechanism is'returned to normal retaining position, as shown in full lines in Fig. 4.

It is desirable that the dog "mechanism 30 be instantaneously controlled to properly lock and retain all containers with the exception of the "forwardmost in stationary. relation. To this end, "Ihave; provided? an'electroemagneticmechanism controllable "by a button or finger pressure for i suddenly rswinging dog. mechanism? :fromecoXi-z tamer-retaining position-to relea'singrposition. 4:14;.

coil spring 3l connects the rear portionzof the dog mechanism 30 through astrut compri'singca cross shaft at the rearofthetwoaarmstflywith an attachment element disposed forwardlytiand' above. the fulcrum of the dog. lThisispringiis tem' sioned to normally :swing the i'hOOkBd retaining end 30a of the dog. mechanism downwardly to engage the forward portionpf theforwardmost container. At the rear .end :of thedog mecha-' nismtli, is pivotally mounted an;upwardly .ex-.- tending armature baraor core :32 ..of 13...;8012110111 mechanism, the electro-magnetic .coil :or windings of which is mounted ina .solenoid ;frame.x3.3.. An electrical circuit is provided for the..:e1ectr.ormagnetic coil which usually includes zazcoin control master switch for vinterconnecting :wires'. of the circuit and which become effective tb close the circuit after-depositingp'a .coinand after-.za.

button or other switch element is presscontrolled by the purchaser. The actiontof.theisolenoid is of course instantaneous when .fingenpressuresis applied to the button orswitch andcauses the rear end or strut of the dog :mechanism-toLbe-elevated and the front end depressed, raisingthe retaining hooks 30a and simultaneously lowering the abutment ends 30b of the dogsfiillzto-v engage against the forward portions of the 'second.con tainer in series from the .zdeliveryfront. of dthe machine.

The particular means 'Jan'd-z'method -of :supporting cylindrical containers; for .rolling action throughout the various ramps, is an important feature of my invention. =Fniction throughout my machine has beenminimized by the :posi tioning of thesupport rails of the declined-storage ramp-s in such a way that containers-are supported at two pointslocated as near asand on each side of the center of gravity of the eon tainers as possible, without producing undue, lateral instability. It is understood of course, that the containers are placed in the rack on their sides and rolled down the support rails and fall progressively down the substantially vertical delivery channel, guided by rails on either side and walls at either end. 'Theeffect of the above mentioned placement of my support rails in the declined ramps, is to permit the containers to be guided along .a straight path .by the sides of the frame :or the rack or casing with very little frictional .force. It amounts. to the difference .in force. required to guide and roll a vkeg having convex sides as contrasted with a truly cylindrical drum; the difference in force required tocontrola rolling beer keg and a rolling oil drum. .1 have found .declinedstorage rows of containers and the vertical delivery channelreceiving therefrom,.it is necessary to isolate by means of gates,,each of the declined rows which feedinto the .vertical delivery channel. This .is accomplished by means of the gate structures which aresupported in each case, by a hinge pin extending through the inner ends of the arms 18a and which extend also through theinclinedsupport rails. In thedown or closedpositionsythegates are :supporte'd'by shouldered extensions of the support rails I4 disposed outwardly or beyond the hinge pin. In the closed position, each gate permits the containers rolling upon the declined rails to which it is attached, to flow over the top side of the gate (arms Mia) and into the vertical delivery channel. That is to say, the gate in a down position, acts as an extension of the declined support rail as Well as a short vertical rail structure for the front side of the vertical delivery channel of the ramp below. The sides 18 of the gate structure, have the general shape of an L with preferably an inner angle approximating 98 degrees. The diagonal support rails are set at approximately an 8 degree decline toward the vertical delivery channel. As previously stated, the closed gate structure in each instance, acts as a closure and release means for the declined row of containers located in the ramp. directly below the rails M to which the gate structure is pivoted.

When the containers are entirely evacuated from a given declined storage row or ramp and the very last container of that row has passed below the lowest end or toe (bottom end of the short side of the L of its gate, that gate then automatically rises, releasing the declined row of containers which it had been holding back and holding out of the vertical delivery channel, while in closed position. Two forces activate the gate elements: First, a torsion spring or other yieldable means wound about or otherwise operatively connected with the axle or gate structure and secondly, the weight of the row of containers retained behind the gate arms 18b in the closed position of the gate structure.

My gate structure is so designed that the weight of only one container above it will hold it in a closed position against the combined force of the spring and the row of containers immediately below in the declined storage ramp. It is obvious also that when the last container is in the vertical delivery channel and opposite the short side of the L of the gate structure in its closed position, the gate cannot open against it. The angle of declination of the storage rails is such that the weight of the containers in a given diagonal row is not adequate to jam a container positioned in the vertical delivery channel opposite the toe of the gate.

A very important aspect of the automatic operation of my gate mechanism is as follows:

Whereas the declined support rails are spaced identically in width throughout the rack, the gate structures located at the lower or delivery ends of each set of declined rails, are of alternating widths, so that independent action is possible for each gate and so that no gate can interfere with adjacent gates in its operation or in the operation of said adjacent gates, regardless of what position any of the gates may be in. This unique feature which I choose to call scissor action of the gate elements positively eliminates the possibility of jamming the vertical delivery channel by out-of-sequence delivery action of the various declined ramps or storage rows. Fig. 8 of the drawings which illustrates a slightly modified form of the invention later to be described, shows to best advantage, the vertically offset, alternate width relation of the gates which is easily obtained by making alternate gate structures of greater width and then alternately pivoting the arms of the gate structures to the inner sides of the interconnected rails and then to the outer sides of the interconnected rails.

Ordinarily, the rack should be loaded from top to bottom. This will insure emptying the same in sequence from top ramp downwardly. However, in the event that the loader should fill the rack indiscriminately, the only result will be that he will be unable to insert the full complement of containers into the rack. The rack will empty automatically just as well after such loading, however, because of the vertically ofiset gate side relations or as I call it, the scissor action of the adjacent gate element. This is so because with independent action for each gate, the instant any out-of-position container in the vertical delivery channel moves down (as a con tainer is released from the rack), any gate which might not be fully up or fully down (the two normal positions of rest for the gate elements) will either rise or lower in the delivery channel, depending upon whether the container holding it in its usual position is the last container in the vertical row. If it happens to be the last container the gate formerly fouled by it, will rise to its fully open position, thus releasing its containers into the vertical delivery channel. If there are several containers above the one causing the fouling, then the gate will close when that container is out of the gates orbit. This follows because the weight of one or more containers directly down in the vertical delivery channel is more than the combined weight of the spring-raising effect and the containers held back by the toe of the fouled gate.

It is critically necessary to have in my system, which stores and provides one-at-a-time delivery to a very large number of filled containers, 2. means for very materially relieving the weight pressure upon the row of cans in the vertical delivery channel and upon the containers in the lower delivery ramp in the vend area. This I very effectively accomplish through the jogged structure of the lowermost delivery ramp which declines forwardly from its rear communication with the vertical delivery channel to the forward side of the machine. With my structure the weight pressure is substantially constant in full storage or partially filled conditions of the rack and at a minimum in all conditions. Consequently, a very simple and compact solenoid release mechanism may be utilized to instantaneously release the foremost container in the delivery ramp upon finger pressure of a button or lever and to simultaneously lock and prevent movement of the other containers in the system, until the vend is completed.

For example, as shown, the vertical delivery channel will hold approximately eighteen containers. Any declined storage ramp as shown, will hold six cans. The bottom forwardly declined delivery ramp receiving from the vertical delivery channel holds seven containers and this ramp has incorporated into it, the jog efiected by the sets of short and sharply inclined rails 25 and 26 and their relation with the rear rails 23 and 24 and the forward vend rails 21 and 28. e total W ht which would be exerted on the release mechanism by a full rack (vertical delivery channel and top and bottom declined ramps) would be approximately eighteen pounds when six ounce filled containers are used and if no pressure relief system were incorporated in the rack. With my jogconstruction, maximum pressure of three and one half pounds or less, is

present whenthe. verticalchannel and. all ramps In thesame. example, v the .-release mechanism is preferably. held. in a..normal ,orclosed-in-front position; bya spring. hav'inga. pull approximating ;t.en pounds. Without. eiiicient means built 1 into -.my,- structure. ford'iverting and reducing pressure :of thecontai'ners upon the releaseelement, a partially.,.opem.or jammi ng.positioin. would result be- 1 cause as. the release. element vor structure, rises in .tront'i to emit a container or make a vend, it lowers. at. its. rear end' to .stop the. succeeding container in the rack during'the dispensing or vendi- ,ingl. action. Ifv the. release elementiwere. forced partiallyopen. by weight. of. container, it follows th-atrthe second. container behind the. container jbeingzdispensed, would betoo. far. forward to permitLthebuttofthe releaselelement to fully lower.

' Ifjit could not-fully lower, there'ar, therel'ease element. couldv not fully rise to dispense and the. whole Lrack would; he... i ammedv until cleared I manually. Inthesame example referred to, a .solenoid',..capabl'e of overcoming. a spring pressure greater, than .the ten pounds specified (preferably approximating. twelvepounds) may be utilized. A larger. solenoid. capable of overcoming a pring v r ressuraof.from eighteen to twenty five pounds 'would .beinefiijcient and-wasteful of space.

I Itisicriticallyi necessary to have both upper and. lower. rails, in the, bottom declined ramp andflmore.particularly, atthe turn junctions so .thatthe lineof containers is kept accurate and bunching-up prevented. Thus, we see that there ,are, three-points where force or pressure ,is .taken 'by the rack rails andremoved'therefore from the 1 release elements: ('1) At the sharp curve at bottomof vertical -delivery channel. (2) At the strut formed by the front rails 26 of the jog occuring approximately at the middle of the bottom deliyery'tramp; (3): At;the,bottom rail directly under the jog or drop (rails 21:). I

In Figs. Stet-inclusive, I. illustrate another embodiment of my invention identical in most respects with the form first described and consequently similarly numbered throughout the parts which are-utilized common. In this second embodimentot the-invention,- I may dispense with a separate-frameforthe'rack includingthe corner, vertical plates or postsland I i andprovide templates or casing sides S made the full width and height of the machine and acting as the guides for the ends of the containers in the ramps and downwardly extending delivery chute. The shafts or rods l5 for supporting the rails and pivoting the gate structures, may be aflixed in suitable sockets drilled or tapped in the opposing inner sides of the templates S.

In this second embodiment, a different construction of log is utilized in the lowermost delivery ramps, which receives from the vertical delivery channel and a smaller, more compact and difierent form of release mechanism is also employed.

Referring now to Figs. 6 and '7, the lowermost ramp for delivery and including the vend area of containers is declined from the rear of the machine forwardly at very slight angulation from the horizontal throughout approximately half of the breadth comprising lower rails 36 and necessarily upper rails 31 disposed in pairs the same distance apart as the main storage rails. Rails 36 and 31 communicate with the rear guide rails and forward guides of the vertical delivery chute by means of substantially arcuately curved portions 36a and 31a respectively. The forwardly wardmost' container in the vend area.

declined delivery ramp is then jogged upwardly at a sharp incline" by lower and upper cooperating rails 38. and 391 which as shown, arev of" a length slightly less than the diameterof one container. Thereafter, the vend area rails- 38a-and 39a are declined forwardly to-the extremefront of the machine, as clearlyshown in' Fig: 8".

. The upward jog the. bottcmdeliveryramp, as described, offers a' spacebelow the: forward portion. of" the ramp, for nicely accommodating the solenoid ii! ,andother-partsof my electromagnetically operated release mechanism; The release mechanism; as best shown in Fig; 7, comprises for each sideadjacent theforward-ends of the rails 39; a triangularly shaped dog 4| thetwo dogs of the mechanism being-transversely aligned at the machinev and-rigidly interconnectedby crossr'od i? and by the fulcrum'rod 43. The rod f lzyfurther serves to pivotally connecta short link structure 44* with the inwardly extending ends of release arms 45; Two of said arms'areproandsaid links are fulcrumed at" their outer ends upon a cross shaft 41. The inner extremities-of the release links 45 are shaped to engagethelower and forward portions of the periphery of the for- Normal container-retaining position'is illustratediin full lines in Fig. 7 while-therelease or*vendingposiition of said mechanismis illustrated inthe" dotted lines. In release, it will be noted that the-triangul'andogs M are provided wi'th short, rearwardly extending abutment arms 4m, whichare adapted in the vending action to be=engagedby the next successive containers-inwardlyof the container being discharged. i The dogs 41 and the articulated linkage connected Withthe forward and lower portion of the frame.

The machine described, as shown in Figs. 6 to 8 inclusivev in a single or multiple-units, is of course, adapted and ordinarily"enclosed within an insulated or refrigerationhousing' (not shown) and having a door or" doors atthe front thereof which may belocke'd if the machine is usedfor coin control vending;

It will of course be understood that my machine and invention is not only adapted for coin control vending of filled cylindrical containers, but is equally adapted as a one-at-a-time dispensing machine for frozen foods and other articles, packaged in cylinder containers.

It will of course be understood that various changes may be made in the form, details, arrangement and proportions of the parts Without departing from the scope of my invention.

What I claim is:

1. In a vending or dispensing machine for cylindrical containers, a storage rack having a plurality of declined ramps adapted to deliver to a common delivery channel, each of said ramps being defined by a supporting bottom structure upon which cylindrical containers may freely roll and a bottom structure extension swingably secured to said bottom structure and normally extending to said delivery channel, abutment means for retaining said extension in container-supporting position when the weight of containers is imposed thereon, yieldable mechanism for swinging said extension upwardly when the weight of no containers is imposed thereon and a gate for closing off discharge of containers on the ramp below, said gate comprising a depending structure secured to the outer end of said bottom extension and normally positioned at one edge of lindrical containers, a storage rack having a plurality of declined ramps adapted to deliver to a common delivery channel, each of said ramps being defined by a pair of parallel rails declined somewhat from the horizontal, a combined railextension and gate mechanism hinged to said rails adjacent the lower ends thereof and comprising a pair of straight rail extension members adapted for positioning in side by side relation with said rails and extending on the tops thereof in a common plane with said rails when the weight of containers is imposed upon said mechanism, abutment means for retaining said mechanism in container-supporting position, resilient mechanism for swinging said first mentioned mechanism upwardly when the weight of all containers is removed therefrom, said rail extension members having parallel gate arms angled downwardly therefrom and of a height to extend to points adjacent the rails of the ramp below to control delivery of containers from said lower ramp, said gate arms When in normal position on a plurality of said ramps cooperating with means spaced therefrom to define at least a por tion of a downwardly extending delivery channel, said parallel gate arms of alternate ramps being staggered in vertical relation to permit free and independent swinging of the gate arms and rail extension member throughout the racks.

3. In a vending or dispensing machine for cylindrical containers, a storage rack having a plurality of declined ramps adapted to deliver to a common delivery channel, said ramps being defined by a supporting bottom structure declined towards the delivery ends thereof and upon which cylindrical containers may freely roll and at least a multiplicity of said ramps having a combined bottom extension and gate structure swingably connected with the lower portions thereof, said structure comprising a ramp bottom extension adapted for positioning substantially flush with said bottom when the weight of any containers is supported above, thereon and comprising a depending, angled pair of spaced gate arm secured to the outer portion of said bottom extension and including also yieldable means for swinging said bottom extension and gate structure upwardly when the Weight of all containers is removed therefrom, the spaced relation of said depending gate arms of alternating ramps being staggered in vertical relation to permit free and independent swinging of said gate and ramp extensions throughout the rack.

4. In a vending or dispensing machine for containers, a storage rack including a plurality of sets of parallel rails for supporting and causing rolling of cylindrical containers and a combined railextension and gate mechanism hinged to certain adjoining sets of rails adjacent the lower ends thereof and comprising rail extension structure adapted for positioning substantially flush with the top of said rails when the weight of one or more containers is imposed thereon, and a pair of spaced depending gate arms secured to said extension structure and angled relative thereto to form a blockade for containers in the ramp below when one or more containers are supported by said extension structure in the upper ramp, and resilient mechanism for swinging said extension means with the said gate upwardly when the weight of all containers is removed from said extension, said spaced gate arms of alternate ramps being staggered in vertical relation to permit free and independent swinging of the gate and ramp extensions throughout the rack.

FRED A. OSSANNA, JR.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,744,679 Sapp Jan. 21, 1930 2,212,797 Smith Aug. 27, 1940 2,279,093 Peters Apr. 7, 1942 2,315,515 Gibson Apr. 6', 1943 2,408,380 Dennis Oct. 1, 1946 

